Monster Hunter Freedom Infinite
by obelisk0007
Summary: A girl decides to escape from home in order to become a monster hunter. On her way to Pokke Village, disaster strikes... causing an event that will change her life - and her future - in ways she can never have imagined. A tale that spans the entire Monster Hunter world, starting from north side Minegarde Pokke Village, up until west Minegarde Kokoto and south Minegarde Loclac/Moga.
1. Chapter 0: A Tale Begins

**Hey! It's my first Monster Hunter fanfic, and I hope you'll like it! Forgive me if I have any grammatical errors because English is not my native language =) I hope you'll enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Monster Hunter. If I OWN it, then Portable 3rd would've been translated to English already. =_=**

**Chapter 0: A Tale Begins**

** T**he wind was so cold, it burned. The dry winter wind buffeted her face as she drew the scarf around her neck even tighter. Even through the thick popo sweater and anteka pelt pants she wore, she could still feel the blistering cold stick to her body like fluid. Despite the harshest weather she has ever encountered in her entire life, she pressed on, determined to put some distance between herself and that wretched excuse for a home. Her father, a wealthy hunter turned businessman, died while tracking down the unknown monster that killed his beloved wife, leaving their daughter deprived of a mother. Desperate to provide a mother figure to his own daughter, he hastily married a family friend while balancing family with his business and tracking down the pitch-black monster who burned their whole town in an outrage.

Although a doting step-mother in front of his new husband, she revealed her true colors in front of her as a social climbing wretch who only cared about squandering his father's fortune. Forcibly engaging her, her step-daughter, to the highest bidder was the last straw. Holly, her nurse, cared enough for her to prepare a going-away gift in the form of a backpack and a winter outfit. **"Use these and put great distance between this house – I won't use 'home' because it does not merit such a title – as much as you can. Winter clothing will keep you safe, as will the backpack. As soon as you can, try to find Pokke Village. Become a hunter, if you want. If you can, try to find other people to be with, and leave this place. For good."** Holly kissed her forehead as the old nurse wiped tears away. **"I watched as your mother gave birth to you three doors away from your current bedroom. I watched you grow up into a beautiful, young lady. And now, I watch as you leave this once majestic home. I hope that one day, I'll get to see you return and take back what's rightfully yours."**

She trudged through the snow while squinting her eyes for the warm glow of a village. Pokke Village is supposed to be south-south-east of their mountain mansion. The problem is: she doesn't exactly know where it is. She's never been there. All she knows is that it's a village that somehow thrives on arctic fishing and farming. She kept on walking and walking, until she finds a rock alcove, where she takes shelter in. Hugging her backpack to her chest, she opened it and found bottles and spheres inside. Some materials were so alien to her she can't even identify what they are. She groped inside the backpack, and pulled out a strange red bottle. She shook it, and discovered there was liquid inside. The bottle was faintly warm to the touch, even through her mittens. Not knowing what to do with it, she held it close to her face. She held her cheek against it, and it helped alleviate the numbness she was feeling.

Now with new found comfort, she tucked the bottle back inside and resumed her mid-blizzard trek. She kept on walking through the snow even when her feet hurt. Holly's words were clear to her: put some distance. It won't be long now before her step-mother sends her men after her, desperate to take back her little living gold mine. Her feet felt so sore, she can't ignore the pain anymore. She's been walking for who knows how long, and she's so tired but she can't sleep here unless she risks not waking up.

Suddenly, the wind stopped blowing. The snow finally relented and turned into a nice drizzle of snowflakes. Resting on a nearby flat boulder, she rummaged through the pack and found rations inside it. Not quite the luscious meals she was used to, but it can do. She can't live a life of comfort and luxury anymore. Holly's words rung in her ears: _'Become a hunter, if you want.' _Just like her dad. She was contemplating on what she will actually do when she arrives in Pokke Village, when the evergreen bushes rustled violently a few meters from her boulder. Survival instincts kicked in, and she covered her mouth to conceal her breathing as a large, scary monster walked right out of the bushes.

It was so terrifying, she doesn't what to prioritize: being frightened, or keeping quiet. The monster walked on all fours, with wings looking like it was attached to its forearms. It had a slightly elongated face with a mouth lined with short but very, very sharp teeth. But the teeth are not the only dangerous looking things on it. As it walked, she nervously eyed the claws on its limbs that could easily shred her to pieces.

As she hid behind a boulder, she clutched her necklace close to her mouth, murmuring **"Daddy… daddy, please save me… please protect me, wherever you are…"** tears streamed from her eyes as loneliness and hopelessness sets in. She can't run, and she can't hide forever. The monster would be too fast to outrun, but if she can escape without being caught… she might have a chance.

She put on her backpack, and crouched low. She peeked over the boulder, and the large monster was just standing there, its head high in the air. Its pelt was slightly striped, and the moonlight revealed the skin's tangy orange hue. She carefully sneaked from her hiding spot, and into the cover of the trees, when she slipped. She yelped as pain shot through her ankle. Touching her ankle to feel it, she realized what she'd done. She turned around, around and the giant monster was now heading for her. It roared as it headed towards her direction, its mouth wide open as it ran. She crawled and crawled. When she looked back, the monster was still heading for her. She crawled more, and the snow bank gave in to her weight, and she slid down a downhill slope of snow.

The monster was definitely determined to get her, as it followed suit, sliding down the slope, flapping its wings every now and then to maintain balance. She lost hers, and entered a skidding roll down the hill into her inevitable doom. Having no control over her momentum, her whole body crashed into a pine tree. Wheezing and straining, she was having difficulty getting the next breath out of her lungs. The dragon-like monster skidded unto a stop a few meters away from her current location. She tried to crawl away, but she knew it was futile. She faced the enormous monster stalking her, and pressed her necklace into her mouth in a prayer.

** "Heeeeeey!"** shouted a voice out of nowhere. Her eyes shot open. Someone was out here? Immediately, flames of hope started to spread inside her heart. She might live. Might.

** "Heeere!"** she shrieked with all her might. Her voice was breaking with all the fear she felt, but she screamed as her life depended on it. "I'm over here, please… please save me…" her voice got drowned out when the monster let out a roar. As soon as it began, the flames of hope suddenly extinguished. _They won't make it in time…_

The monster neared its head towards her, when a blast of hot air erupted from the monster's side. The monster roared in pain as, she can clearly see, a bullet the size of a small fist was embedded at its side. She turned her head towards the direction of the voices and found three people skidding down a low hill, headed for her. A fourth person was crouched around the trees, his eyes on the bowgun's sights.

She tried crawling towards them while clutching her backpack. The monster roared in pain again as another bullet hit its target, this time its left eye. The monster kept on staggering in pain, and as it staggered, it almost stepped on her. She shrieked again, but this time, a hammer blew the monster off its feet and into a nearby snow bank.

** "Kyle,"** the boy who was wielding the hammer said, **"get her away from the Tigrex!"**

** "No way! I want to fight that Tigrex!"** complained the boy who was wielding a greatsword with one arm.

** "Now's not a good time for this, Kyle! Just follow the order!"** shouted the boy who was using the shield of his gunlance to keep the monster – the Tigrex – at bay and providing backup to the boy using the hammer.

**"No worries, I got this…"** said a newly arrived boy who jogged over to me.

**"Thanks, Ronan!"** Kyle said then charged the monster. He brought down his greatsword down on the Tigrex's torso, and then landed on a kneeling position in the snow. Spinning on one knee, he used the momentum of wielding a heavy weapon such as a greatsword and slashed across the belly of the beast. He dove out of the way in time to dodge a 360 spin attack from the Tigrex.

** "Come on, let's leave it to them. Can you walk?"** asked Ronan. She shook her head. He just smiled and turned his back on her. He simply said, **"Hop on."**

She grabbed him around the neck, like an embrace, while she wrapped her legs around his waist. He grabbed hold of her thighs to support her and he started jogging through the snow with his bowgun dangling from his neck. She was surprised by his stamina, since he was wearing full body armor while lifting a bowgun, a girl, and a heavy backpack. **"Will they be okay?"** she asked.

** "Yeah, they'd be fine. It's the Tigrex you should be worried about."** He finished the statement off with a chuckle. She could feel his chuckle reverberate in his body against his back.

* * *

He continued to jog through the snow until they've arrived at a clearing. It might have been covered in flowers in spring, but it was desolate now. A few rock outcroppings littered here and there, and they found themselves taking a rest on top of one of them. He sat her down on a flat boulder and took off her right boot. **"Wow, that thing's swollen."**

He wasn't kidding. Her right foot was now turning a sickly shade of dark purple. He carefully scooped up some ice into a piece of cloth and pressed it against her foot. The cold stung a bit, but she quickly found herself relaxing at the soothing coolness of the snow wrap. **"Thank you very much, uhm… Ronan."** She quickly smiled at him, and he returned the smile.

** "No problem, ah… I don't know your name…?"** he smiled at her sheepishly.

** "Just call me Ashe."**

** "Well then, Ashe, it has been my pleasure taking care of you."** He smiled again at her, but quickly looked around. **"The sky looks like it could stir into a blizzard any moment now. Maybe it'd be better to seek some shelter against the cold…?"**

She nodded at him, and he quickly picked her up again, this time in a bridal style. Ashe quickly blushed, and fervently hoped that the darkness would hide it. Ronan bent his legs and pointed with his lips Ashe's fallen boot. **"Pick it up, please."** Ronan said with a chuckle. Ashe reached for it with two fingers and grasped the neck of the boot.

Ronan jogged through the snow for a while but eventually reached a cave a few hundred meters away from the clearing. Peering inside, Ashe and Ronan let out a sigh of relief to see that the cave is vacant. Ronan gently laid Ashe down on a flat outcropping of a rock and immediately started a fire a meter away from Ashe. Ashe greedily rubbed her palms together, desperate for warmth.

Ronan took his position beside Ashe and used his hands as pillows against the rock wall. He looked like he wanted to ask a ton of questions, but Ashe could see that he was holding back. **"You could ask me a few questions, I don't bite."**

Ronan let out a heavy breath – more like a sigh – and immediately started laughing. Correction – it was more like a guffaw than laugh. **"I'm sorry, it was just… well, you gotta admit, the atmosphere got a bit intense with the silence back there."**

Ashe started smiling too, and Ronan launched his first question. **"So, what were you doing back there? I mean, a girl like you, all alone in the snowy mountains… you don't even look like a hunter. You look like a princess outfitted for winter wonderland."**

Ashe, although not appreciating the princess part, decided to answer honestly – but decided not to give the whole truth, just a part of it. **"I was going down from the mountains and was heading for Pokke Village to start my hunting career. Pokke has a Gathering Hall, right?"**

** "Mmm? Yeah, Pokke has an official guild outpost. So, where did you come from? Why take a route directly across the snowy mountains? Why not just take the safer but longer path by going around it? I mean, you're not a hunter. At least, not yet. You can't defend yourself."** Ronan started the inquisition by asking the big question: where did she come from.

** "Oh, I came from a place that doesn't have a guild outpost, so I had to cross a mountain or two to become official. As for the route I took, I just took it to save time. I never really thought about the dangers it might pose, albeit the possibly dangerous weather."**

Ronan frowned at her answer. **"Did I say something wrong?"** asked Ashe.

**"No, not wrong; just… naïve."** Ronan simply answered.

Ashe was offended by Ronan's statement. **"No! Don't take it the wrong way Ashe… it's just, when you're a hunter, you'd have to think things through before actually doing it. Ignoring to think twice would lead to an early death. I mean, if we weren't there… I'd hate myself if anything happened to you. I mean, yeah it's faster, but it's considerably more dangerous. The snowy mountain region is where Tigrex flies to for food. It lives in the desert but flies to the mountains to hunt popos. And… and..."**

** "Shhhh…"** said Ashe, hushing Ronan down.** "It's okay, I understand…"** placing a finger on Ronan's lips.

Ronan held Ashe's hand and gently put it down. **"I know you do, but you MUST always keep things in mind as a hunter. Don't just think narrowly by thinking all about your target monster and failing to notice the environment in which you'll hunt in…"** Ronan started to rant again about being a hunter, but Ashe immediately stopped him again, smiling.

** "Ronan, you have to stop ranting. You're starting to sound like an old man now. I'm sorry for not paying attention, okay? I won't do it again."** Ashe tried her best to put the restless Ronan at ease when her tummy started to ache for a bit. It was uncomfortable. Ronan noticed her discomfort and immediately knew: she was hungry.

Ronan started laughing again and said, **"Hold tight, I'll hunt for a bit and see if there are popos around to hunt for meat."** Ronan said as he got up. He walked over to his _Island Of The Gods_, a birthday gift from his three childhood friends, and walked towards outside the cave. Ashe followed him until the mouth of the cave.

** "Be careful…"** Ashe said in a small voice, but Ronan heard it.

** "Always am…"** said Ronan, clearly wanting to say more to her. Ronan turned his back on her and started walking through the snow.

Ashe wanted to say more too, but something was holding her back. It must've been the _"I-just-met-him"_ or the _"he-probably-doesn't-feel-that-way"_ that made her stop, but watching him walk away made all of it vanish. **"Ronan!"** he turned around and Ashe ran to him. Without meaning to, with feelings raging inside her, she kissed him.

** "Come back safe, okay?"** then hurriedly walked back inside the cave, her face turning a violent shade of crimson.

A few minutes, and Ronan was still standing there. **"Woah…"** he finally got out. **"I should hunt for popos more often."**

* * *

Ashe sat by the fire, stomping her feet violently as she held her face. **"What did I just do?!"** _I just kissed a boy._ Clearly, the memory of her kissing Ronan before he left would haunt her for the whole evening while she's alone. She decided, after Ronan got back, she would just brush it off. _Ronan, listen. I kiss boys everyday back at home. Kissing on the lips is nothing. It's kinda like saying "Hi!" back at home, or goodbye._ Again, she pondered this, and clearly thought that she would sound slutty when she told him that.

Ronan looked amazed when she left him standing there, too. _Maybe he liked it? _Well, there's no denying that she kissed a boy she hardly knew, but is her feelings enough to justify her actions? They just met, for pete's sake.

Thinking that her sanity can't withstand her thoughts right now, since she's starting to talk to herself in an inner monologue kind of way, she decided to rummage through her bag that Holly packed. Aside from the red bottle that gave off a warm feeling to her, there was also a white bottle that was also filled with liquid. The surface of the bottle was a bit misty and liquid was clearly inside. The white bottle was cold. She decided to set it down on the cave floor.

Some more rummaging revealed green bottles, one larger than the other. She tried tasting it by dipping a finger inside the bottle, but… **"Yuck!"** It was bitter. She made a mental note that, when she finally found a place to settle down – hopefully with a kitchen – she would empty a pack of sugar at the abomination inside the green bottles. Other colored bottles were inside: another red bottle, but this one was blood red. A deep orange bottle. A light peach colored bottle that made her vision fuzzy when she tried tasting it. A blue bottle that was slightly sweet but still a little bitter. A yellow bottle that tasted like an energy drink. A pretty red bottle that looked like her perfume bottles back home.

A lot of bottles, but there were a lot of balls inside her bag too. All of the balls were inside a side pocket. One ball was colored peach that colored her fingers in bright shades. A gray ball that rattled like metal filaments were inside. A yellow ball that was particularly hard, like powder was stuffed inside.

Taking a break with her backpack exploration, she quickly stashed her belongings back inside and decided to wait for Ronan by the mouth of the cave.

Ashe was sitting by the mouth of the cave, waiting for Ronan. She smiled at herself. She felt like a housewife that was waiting for her husband to come home. She went on, fantasizing about being a wife of a hunter (particularly being the wife of a hunter named Ronan) when she suddenly heard a distant roar pierce the calm silence of the night. She was scared, but nothing can compare to her horror when, after a few seconds, she felt popping sounds. A few seconds, then she realized the popping sounds were _gunshots._

She ran, ignoring the pain of her ankle, towards the sounds of gunshot and roaring. She ran, not terrified for her safety but for the safety of Ronan. She arrived at the clearing earlier, and found Ronan battling a furiously wounded Tigrex. She clenched her fists, and was reminded of a small leather ball that she was playing with when she heard the roar. Suddenly, memories of her childhood playing inside his father's room and her years of homeschooling flooded her mind.

_"Daddy, I want to play with your marbles!" she shouted as she grabbed the colorful marbles from her father's desk._

_ "No, Ashe!" shouted her fathers, holding her fist and taking the marbles away from her. "These aren't marbles, princess. These…" holding a peach colored marble, "…is a paintball. This…" holding up a gray marble, "…is a sonic bomb. Dangerous for your little ears, princess. And these…" finally holding up a yellow leather ball, "…is a flash bomb. This one's dangerous for your eyes, kiddo."_

_ When she got older, her tutor taught her chemistry, and they got to the topic of bombs used by hunters. Her tutor explained that the leather shell of a flash bomb breaks and the chemicals react to the oxygen in the air, instantaneously combusting. The fire would ignite phosphorous that would cause a violent flash of light, enough to distract monsters of considerable size._

**"RONAN!"** she shouted at the top of her lungs. **"CLOSE YOUR EYES!"**

Ronan was clearly surprised, but instincts took over when he recognized the leather sphere his girlfriend-to-be flung into the air. He covered his eyes, and the Tigrex looked in the direction of the voice. It recognized Ashe as its prey that escaped and roared. The flash bomb didn't hit the ground… it hit the Tigrex at the eyes. A violent flash of light erupted at the Tigrex's face, blinding it. Permanently.

** "Ashe… run!"** Ronan shouted as he slung his light bowgun to his back. He took Ashe's hand and started running.

* * *

They ran, and ran, until they were out of breath. They were deathly tired, but they won't give in to fatigue. A few ways from the clearing, they met up with the group earlier.

** "Dave! Spencer! Kyle!"** Ronan called out to his friends.

** "The Tigrex got away…"** the boy with the hammer told us.

** "Yeah, Dave, we just ran into it."** Ronan informed his friends.

** "Wait, where is it?"** asked Kyle.

** "In the clearing, a few minutes from here. It was permanently blinded by Ashe when she threw a flash bomb at it."**

** "Come on, let's go! We can take it, it's blinded!"** told Kyle.

** "Dave,"** said Ronan to the hammer-wielding boy, **"can you take Ashe away from here?"**

Ashe can see that Dave was deliberating, but he conceded. **"Okay."**

She turned to Ronan and looked at him in the eye. **"Wait, you're not going?"**

Ronan wouldn't look at her, but he replied. **"No… the Tigrex… well, wyverns are famous for holding grudges, you know. When faced with a person it has a grudge against, a wyvern will fight like a cornered animal: dangerous, and risky. A cornered animal is the most dangerous of its kind. We need to kill it now, or else it wouldn't stop until it has killed you."**

** "Or Kyle…"** said the gunlance user, who's supposed to be Spencer. **"Kyle slashed that sonoffabitch good, scarring its torso."**

**"So, Dave will take Kyle and Ashe away while you and I deal with the Tigrex?"** asked Ronan, which was directed at Spencer.

**"Yeah, that would be the gist of it."** Said Spence.

** "Wait! You'll need more help dealing with a Tigrex like that! Spence, come on! You've seen that Tigrex! It's faster than anything we've ever encountered before!"** said Kyle, which Ashe agrees with.

** "Then…"** said Dave. **"Kyle will be taking Ashe away while the three of us deal with the Tigrex. We'll hold it off or finish it off; just to give you time to escape."**

**"No…"** said Kyle, but Spence cut him off.

** "No, Kyle. Follow orders this time around. Learn to fight as a team. Dave is our leader, and you ignore his orders as if you can do it better than him. Didn't you think about what he would feel whenever you ignore his orders?"**

** "I… fine. Okay. I'll take the girl back to Pokke."** Kyle said, and then turned away. **"Just don't blame me if you can't beat it without my help."**

Ronan then turned to me. **"I… Listen, Ashe. Please keep safe. Always stick with Kyle. You can depend on him to keep you safe. Get your bag from the cave and get out of here. Don't stop until you reach Pokke. Okay?"** Ronan told her while holding her face the whole time. Ashe just nodded.

Kyle walked ahead of her, and Ashe followed his footsteps.

** "Kyle!"** shouts Ronan. Kyle tilts his head back. **"That's my girl, okay? Keep her safe for me."**

* * *

**Not enough action, I know. But it's just the start of the story! Plenty more time for action later! **

**Feel free to submit reviews or anything, just so I would know what your opinion is regarding the story. Is the plot shallow? Is it well-written? Did the plot develop waaaay too fast? Submit it in a review to help me grow as a writer!**

**-obelisk**


	2. Chapter 1: A New Life

**Chapter 1: A New Life**

Struggling to catch my breath, I tried my best to slow down my breathing just enough to hear the shuffling steps coming from a few meters away from my hiding spot. I held the Island Of The Gods close to my chest as I felt my heart beat slow down. I had been hunting this Giadrome, and I thought it was alone. When I tried to engage it in battle, Giaprey started raining down from the nearby cliffs. Within five minutes, I was outnumbered ten to one. I hastily made my retreat, but ended up going deeper into the snowy mountains. Now, I'm hiding behind a giant boulder as my pursuers search desperately for me. I need to act fast; it's going to be a race against time on who-takes-out-who.

I stared at the Island Of The Gods. What would he have done in my situation?

_ "Don't just think narrowly by thinking all about your target monster and failing to notice the environment in which you'll hunt in…"_

__**"The environment in which I hunt in…?"** I mumbled under my breath. I look around. My environment – which, I take it, is Area 6 of the Snowy Mountains – is desolate. No hunters around to help me. It's just me, and the Giadrome pack. Suddenly, the Giadrome whipped its head up into the air, as if sniffing out my scent. _Oh god… please don't let Giadromes have insane smelling senses…_

One thing I'm sure of, they're close to finding me. But it's just that they are so many, while I'm taking out around 3 of them, the 6 of them plus the Giadrome can attack me. I need to think of a way to take them out all at once. I had a small barrel bomb + and a bounce bomb + inside my bag, but I don't know if those are enough to take them down.

And that's when I noticed the ice shelf on top of the cliff. If my geography is right, the area above that ice shelf is Area 8.

I don't know what I'm doing; right now, I'm just acting out of pure instinct. I loaded my last batch of Fire S into the Island Of The Gods and started firing at the top of the ice shelf. Immediately, the Gia pack noticed me. They're now headed straight for me as I emptied the last of my shots into the cliff. I then took out my bounce bomb + and aimed it at the cliff. It's wick enflamed and flew straight into the ice shelf. It detonated with a loud boom.

The Giadrome and its companions looked back, just in time to see ice cascading down the cliff face. It collided with them and it carried them off, down the other side of the cliff and into the snowy mountain depths. I evaded the avalanche by hiding behind my boulder. The snow cascaded around my boulder – even over it – but it didn't hit me, thankfully.

I walked over to the edge of the cliff. It was over a hundred meter fall down into the icy river rapids that flow into the lake seen in Area 1.

Mission accomplished, then.

* * *

** "How was the Giadrome, Ashe?"** asked Sally, the female guildmaster in pink that faithfully stood beside the mission counter every day.

** "Fine. I didn't anticipate his lackeys, though. They gave me a hard time."** I said as I handed the post that requested the slaying of a Giadrome that pestered Pokke farmers to June, the low rank guild quests clerk.

** "How did you deal with it?"** asked June after taking the post from me and stamping _"Mission Success"_ on it.

**"I caused an avalanche and drove them towards a cliff into the river."** I told them.

**"Woah… that's… good."** Sally said, completely surprised.

** "There you go,"** said June, giving me the quest rewards. **"Are you going to the hospital after this?"** she asked.

** "Yeah…"** then I gave them a sad smile.

**"We'll drop by after work, okay?"** said Sally. May, the high rank guild quests clerk, and April, the G rank quests clerk, nodded in agreement. These past few days as a newbie hunter, the five of us became fast friends. Most of the time, they would drop by the hospital to accompany me when I'm all alone.

** "Thanks."** I tried forcing out a smile, but May said, **"Don't force yourself to smile if you can't, Ashe. We'll join you after a few, okay?"**

I just nodded and left.

* * *

Not bothering to change out of my armor, I immediately headed straight for the Pokke Hospital, which lies just outside the village proper. It's near the hunter school, a little bit farther in. It's a huge building that's almost as huge as the gathering hall. As I walked in, the nurses greeted me. I returned the gesture with another smile – smiling is so tiring, even though it's the last thing I would do, but I don't know how to respond to people when I don't have anything more to say except to smile.

I walked into a room big enough for four beds. I walked in, and saw Dave sitting on his bed with his arm on a sling. **"I get to go out today,"** he informs me. **"It'll take a while, but the doctor said that after a few weeks – maybe even a month or two – my arm will be good as new."**

** "That's great, Dave."** I replied with a genuine smile. I'm happy that Dave will finally be able to get out of the hospital. It bores him to death inside, since he doesn't have anything to do. I've been taking care of his piggy since he can't do it himself. I try to tell him stories of my hunts, but I know he's eager to go out and hunt for himself.

** "Hey, when am I getting out?!"** complained Spence. He sounded like a child when he talks like this. Spence, unlike Dave, broke his foot instead of arm.

**"Just suck it up and stay quiet. Don't give Ashe here a hard time taking care of you."** Said Dave, but it was obvious he was trying to stop himself for gloating for his fast recovery. **"Oh, Ashe?"** said Dave.

**"Yeah?"**

** "Spence and Ronan will be moved to a smaller room since they don't require the extra space anymore. They'll be moved downstairs, near the entrance."** Said Dave. Then, he stood up and looked out the window. **"Where's Kyle?"** he asked.

** "I dunno. He never talks to me. He keeps on throwing sharp looks at me, and I'm actually scared of talking to him."** I replied. I admitted to Dave that I was afraid of the blond boy with the sharp eyes.

** "That Kyle, Ronan's gonna smack him in the head someday for looking at you like that!"** said Spencer, who was bouncing up and down his bed while sitting.

** "Yeah, I…"** I walked over to the bed where Ronan is sleeping. **"I hope he wakes up soon."** I held Ronan's hand as I sat in the wooden chair again, as that is the chair that I've been sitting on these past few weeks that I've stayed in Pokke.

** "Hey Ronan,"** said Spence, as if Ronan could hear him. **"Wake up and stop your girl, okay? She's been thinking of leaving…"**

** "THINKING, Spence. I'm not yet leaving."**

** "Yeah, well that's the same, right? Why do you need to leave? You're gonna leave Ronan behind?"**

** "Spence… I…"** I tried to answer, but I can't stop my tears as emotion flooded my mind, my heart.

** "Hey…"** said Spence.

** "Moron!"** shouted Dave, who smacked Spencer's head with his left hand. **"Hey, Ashe, don't cry… Spence, you moron! Why did you say that?!"**

** "I was just… Ashe, I'm sorry."** Said Spence, who sounded like a boy asking sorry for his playmate. **"I didn't mean to accuse you."**

** "No, it's…"** I hiccupped. I'm such a child when I cry. **"I just need to leave… Some people are after me, and I risk them finding me by staying here in Pokke. I would love to settle down here and take care of Ronan, but I…"**

** "It's okay Ashe. Does Ronan know of this? I mean, did you tell him before…?"** asked Dave.

** "No… he thought that I was from a village from the other mountain. I didn't tell him about my step-mother."**

* * *

Dave and Spence knew my past now. I told them that when the guildsmen brought them back to Pokke Village half-dead. The Tigrex escaped. The three of them was bleeding profusely from their wounds. Ronan was more dead than alive though. Kyle was by my side when they were brought in. When they woke up, I told them the whole story. I waited for a few days for Ronan to wake up, but the village healer said he's in a state of sleep. He was in a comatose.

**"When do you plan to leave?"** asked Spence.

**"I don't know yet. I'd like to stay here a little longer, take care of Ronan and Spence for a little while before I leave."**

**"You endanger yourself by staying. Your step mom might find you."** Dave said.

**"I know… but I want to spend a little more time with Ronan. I want to take care of him."** I said.

Both of them said no more, until Spencer broke the silence.

**"How's the Island Of The Gods doing?"** said Spence, pertaining to the light bow gun I was using.

**"It's doing great, Spence. It saved my life today."** I said with a voice of fondness as I took out the bowgun.

**"Ronan would be happy to learn you're using his bowgun. Heck, knowing him, it would be a huge turn on for him… you know, you using his bowgun."** Spence laughed out loud at his perverted comment. I smacked him in the arm for that one. **"Ow!"**

I laughed at it, too, and then I asked, **"Is it really okay for me to be using THIS bowgun? Ronan told me that it was you guy's birthday gift to him…"** I asked.

**"Yeah, it's okay."** Dave replied this time. **"Ronan would be happy to protect you this way, and we're happy that it keeps you safe. Besides, bowguns break down when not used. Island Of The Gods is in good hands when it's with you. But…"** Dave paused, **"… is it really okay with you using a bowgun? A few female hunters would prefer other weapons, you know."**

**"I'm fine with being a light bowgunner. I like using LBGs. It makes me feel a connection with Ronan."**

**"Okay then."** He said, and then stood up. **"Well, I'll be leaving."** He turned to Spence.** "Once I'm healed up, I'll drop in every day before I leave to hunt… you know, just to rub it in your face."** He then laughed. He loves teasing Spencer, who acts like a child. He tried standing up, but I smacked him in the head again for trying.

**"Hey! You know you're not yet healed!"** I told him as he rubbed the side of his head.

**"I'm gonna get brain damaged if you keep hitting my head like that!"** he complained. I laughed again. I was actually laughing after three weeks of sadness. It must've been the good news of Dave's recovery, or Spencer's recovery in the near future. All that's left is… Ronan.

**"Hey Ashe, you look sad again. Don't worry, Ronan's just sleeping. He'll wake up soon."** Spence tried comforting me. **"Heck, he might even wake up in time before you leave! Then you can go somewhere far from Pokke to escape your evil step mother or something…"**

**"We're here!"** shouted someone from the corridor. Spencer mumbled something like,** "Oh great, the loud ones are here…"** and I turned around and saw May, April, Sally, and June standing by the doorway.

Sally walked towards me and asked, **"How's he doing?"**

**"Still sleeping, Sal. I wish he'd wake up."** I told her.

**"He will. Soon. He can't sleep forever knowing you're there, waiting for him."**

**"Thanks Sal."** She then hugged me tight and said,** "We'll always be here for you, alright?"**

**"Awww… group hug!"** said April. They all hugged me; strangely Dave was hugging us too. It seemed June and May dragged him along the group hug. He stood there like a lost puppy, which made all of us laugh at him.

* * *

The evening came, and Spencer and Ronan were transferred downstairs near the entrance where the two person rooms are located. **"It's a good thing that their rooms are closer to the entrance, huh?"** asked the nurse who was in charge of giving Ronan his drip. I nodded in agreement and smiled.

**"Spence, I'll leave for a while to buy us some food, okay?"** I told him and he just nodded, like a child. He was cute, in a childish kind of way. He's like a kid brother, although he's two years older than me. He's as old as Ronan.

I walked out and into the village proper. I found Granny standing by the gathering hall entrance, and bought off some meat and fish from her. Some more walking and I found the Pokke Farmer's Market. I bought a few vegetables and took them home, to the house where Ronan and his friends used to live.

I cautiously peeked inside, wary whether Kyle was inside or not. I've never been alone inside the house with him, but sometimes I can see him sitting by the wall inside the gathering hall. And when I sneak a look at him, his cold blue eyes are staring at me furiously. I guess he blames me for what happened to his childhood friends.

I let out a breath of relief to see Dave sitting on the floor, laughing and playing with Piggie. I guess he missed his pet pig so much, it makes me wonder why a pig of all animals?

**"Hey Dave…"** I greeted him.

**"Oh, hi Ashe."** He greeted me then smiled. He stood up and Piggie rubbed his head against his foot.

**"Can I use your kitchen?"** I asked him. I've been cooking their meals in their kitchen ever since they got hospitalized.

**"Come on, Ashe, you don't need to ask permission from me. You can use it anytime you like. What's ours is yours as well."** He told me, then slumped back to the floor and started playing with Piggie again.

As I entered the kitchen, a familiar _"meow"_ and_ "nya!"_ greeted me. **"Ashe, you're back, nya!"** Mitzy the purple feline greeted me. Mitzy and I have been cooking the boy's meals every day. I would bring Dave, Spencer and Ronan their meals while I leave some for Kyle to eat when he gets home. I told Mitzy not to tell him that it was I who cooked it because he might not eat it considering his animosity towards me. Thankfully, Holly taught me how to cook, so I know my way around the kitchen. Of course, Ronan's would always be uneaten, so I let Spence eat it when he wants seconds, which is almost every day.

I chopped a cabbage in half and handed it to Mitzy. **"Here Mitzy, take this to Piggie, okay?"**

**"Of course, meow."** She said then walked out of the cloth divider into the living room. I hear Dave say **"Thanks, Mitzy!"** then a second later Mitzy was back. I had Mitzy roast the fish and meat since she's good at cooking those two ingredients. I handled the vegetables. I stir-fried them, and then I made some rice balls. I took some fish, quite a few meat (since Spence likes eating meat) and five big rice balls. I always make them extra large because the boys eat a lot. I packed them all and left the kitchen to bring Spence his dinner.

**"Wow, something smells good!"** said Dave as he stopped playing with Piggie.

**"Dinner's ready, Dave. Be sure to leave some for Kyle."** I told him as I put on my slippers. I've changed out of my Mafumofu armor before I cooked and was now wearing typical female Pokke attire.

**"Hey, Ashe?" ** Dave said. I turned back to look at him. **"Thanks for looking out for Kyle too. I know he's been tough on you, but Kyle's a good person. I just hope you don't hold it against him for the way he's been treating you."** He looks as if he's shy or ashamed of the way his friend has been treating me.

**"Its okay, Dave. You don't need to say sorry. It's my fault that you guys got hurt in the first place. I'm sorry for being such a burden."** Dave was trying to say something, but I immediately left. I know he's going to say something to comfort me, but I decided not to listen to it. Not now.

* * *

As I got back to the hospital, I heard some people talking. It was coming from Spencer and Ronan's room. I was so excited, I thought that Ronan's finally awake when I recognized the voice. It wasn't Ronan's. It was Kyle's.

**"Why shouldn't I be angry at her, Spence?! She's the reason why you guys got bedridden for weeks! She's the reason why my cousin's half-dead right now!"** said Kyle in a harsh voice. His cousin… is Ronan?!

**"Kyle, you can't hold it against her – and against us – if we decided to protect you guys back there. You guys are family. You're family. And considering your cousin's feelings for this girl, she's already family too. If we're sent back in time that night, I'm sure Dave, Ronan, and my choice will be the same too. We'll protect you again and again even no matter what the cost may be. Because that's what family is."** I didn't expect Spencer to say that. Spencer, who's always been a joker, gets serious at times like this, I guess.

**"But why protect me? I can fight! I should've fought that night!"**

I peeked through the crack at the door, and saw Spencer hit Kyle's right arm. Kyle winced as if in pain.

**"Do you think we didn't notice? Your one-handed greatsword wielding… it's taking a toll on your right arm, is it? That's because a greatsword is a two-handed sword, dumbass. No matter how much power and momentum it can give your slashes… it can't compare to the price. The pressure that's supposed to be distributed to two hands is focused on just one. I'm sure Ronan noticed it."**

Kyle looked pained, but not because of his arm. It was easier for him to blame it all on me, but to come to terms that he was partly at fault of his cousin's state? That was more painful. He turned his back on Spencer and walked out. It didn't register to me that we'd come face to face, but it was too late because he's opened the door already.

His blue eyes were shocked to see me standing there. His eyes moved down to the food I was carrying, and he'd put two and two together that it was I who's been cooking his meals. His brows immediately furrowed and his eyes suddenly narrowed at me. He gulped, because I saw his Adam's apple move, and walked past me, as if I didn't exist.

Spence strained to bend the lower half of his body to peer out the doorframe. I'm guessing he saw me standing there in the hallway when he said, **"Ashe? Why are you in the hallway? Come in!"** he told me. I walked inside, still a little bit dazed (starstruck, some might call it), though I immediately noticed the sparkle in Spencer's eye when he saw what I was holding. **"Oh goodie! Dinner!"**

I handed him his meal, while I sat down at a stool near Ronan's bed. I immediately stood up again, said **"excuse me"**, and headed straight for the bathroom, just in time for the first of the tears to start running down my cheeks. I actually thought that Ronan was awake. I thought he was awake, and waiting for me to come back to him… my hopes were suddenly and violently crushed as one of his closest friends – his cousin – blame me for his current state. I looked at my reflection in the mirror; reddish eyes that seem tired of crying itself to sleep every night for the past few weeks. This has to stop.

_**I have to be strong, or I won't survive for long in a world of monsters… and their hunters.**_

* * *

_****_**Hello again! Not much action here, eh? Well, just wait for the next chapter so you can satisfy your action craving, you adrenaline junkies out there =P**

**For imaginative purposes (and trivia) Ashe is taken from Final Fantasy XII. If you're feeling a little bit lazy googling for her, imagine a girl with light blonde hair. Her hair is cut short, just long enough to reach down her jaw. She has blue eyes (don't know if the original Ashe has blue eyes), and if you will imagine her voice, listen to Aerith or Tifa's voice from Final Fantasy VII (listen to their voice either from Advent Children or Crisis Core videos on youtube). I'm a final fantasy fan, I know. You'll hear that both of them have a gentle, beautiful voice... perfect for Ashe.  
Expect the next chapter in a few days! =)**

-Obelisk


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